Hey everyone! I just found the site as my son is interested in getting into karting and I have so many questions that I don't know where to start. Sorry for the long-winded message - hopefully you make it to the end.

A little background - my son just turned 8 in August. He's had a fleet of power wheels that he's driven since he was 3 or 4 (some of which have been souped up for more speed). He also has a Razor four wheeler and a battery powered Minimoto Go Kart (Pic) that he drives around the neighborhood. It does about 15mph and he really has fun with it, but he's never shown any interest in getting into organized racing.

That all changed this weekend when I took him to the Historic Races at Road Atlanta... He saw someone running a Toyota World Sports Racer and something clicked - he wants to race so bad that he can't stand it now! We went back in the paddock, met the owner/driver, and he let my son sit in the car, try on his helmet, and was super nice.. I told him he was a little young to drive the WSR, but he could start in karting and work up to it. Now he's gung-ho about racing!

We've been watching videos of helmet cams at the track on Youtube and I am planning on bringing him out to the race on the 29th to let him check things out. I've been looking at karts online trying to figure out what would work for him, and what class to get him in, etc.. I'm worried about sinking a couple grand into a kart, gear, supplies, etc, having him run a race, and decide it's not for him - is there any place that has a intro kind of thing where you can go out and try before you buy? A friend up north has gotten his kids into quarter midgets and their local association has a "try it out" day where you can go out and run a few laps in a car to see what you kid thinks before committing to anything. I'd be more than happy to rent a kart from someone and/or pick up the tab on a practice day for my son to turn a few laps and see what he thinks!

Thanks in advance for any advice you can give me on karts, classes, etc... I read through the FAQs and the Karting Overview, but still have so many questions!

I can tell you this from firsthand experience as I hopped in this season just a couple of months ago.

As for the class, it depends mildly when he turns nine, and also what you would like him to do. As for starting out and a lighter weight, I would consider some of the kid kart or kid clone classes. If you do kid clone, you could simply change out the restrictor plate with a different one for the next class up, all the way up to Clone Senior classes. The price for a brand-new, top of the line chassis would be around $3800, as Razor Chassis, produced by Roberts Kart Shop, are basically the best in town, especially at this track. If you were to do just kid kart, the engine is not a normal one for classes when you get above the 5 - 8 year-old range.

As for a test session, some drivers may let you test their karts after the raceday, just to see if he would be interested. The setting up of the kart will take some tools, and a little bit of knowledge, but everyone in this community wouldn't wait a single second to help you out. As well as that, you can get a majority of your money out of the kart as well if you need to sell it as used, because they do not wear a whole lot over the years; just ask Mr. Darrin Tebbe.

The kart itself could be hauled within a mini-van if you take out the middle and back seats, or fit in the back of a pickup truck. If you end up spending the money on a trailer, it all depends on what you want to do with it, whether it will be just a storage and transport vehicle or something that you can work and hang out in.

Clone Jr 1 is the class above Kid Clone, and although very competitive, can also be a great learning experience if you feel he is ready. These drivers hit the fastest times on our track, because although they do carry a restrictor plate, they are a good sixty pounds lighter than the next class up, and a hundred pounds lighter than the seniors. This age range is from 8 - 12 years old.

It is a gift and a curse that we basically do clone around here, because although we do have large classes, there aren't a whole lot of other options, with the exception of a popular Yamaha Sr class, which runs your typical two-cycle.

If you have any other questions, I would be more than happy to answer.

Thanks for all the info! If we do end up taking the plunge, we'll haul the kart in the minivan for now and then see about a trailer down the road.

He'll be nine next August, so he will be 8 when next year starts and turn nine near the end of the season. I'm thinking Clone Junior might be the way to go. At the moment we don't have national aspirations, but I guess you never know!

I think we'll probably start off with a used kart. I just don't know what I'm looking for as far as a used kart goes, so I'm a little worried about getting a pile of junk or something that's been wrecked. I've wrenched on enough stuff over the years to see any obvious stuff - just not sure what makes a "good" setup versus junk, or if you really can't tell without putting someone on it and putting some laps on it...

I think we'll probably start off with a used kart. I just don't know what I'm looking for as far as a used kart goes, so I'm a little worried about getting a pile of junk or something that's been wrecked.

My son Connor is the same age as your son. We just started racing 3 races ago and he is having a great time. We are close to you, down in Lagrange. You are welcome to come down and check out the karts and have your son talk to Connor anytime. We should be at the next race in two weeks as well.

If you go with used, which is not a bad idea at all, the best way to make sure it is good is simply make sure that it is a Razor chassis. As I mentioned, they keep their luster from the time that they are created, and the one that Mr. Tebbe is selling is one of the originals back from 2008, and was still competing up in the front in June of this year.

November is always huge for kart sales going up as many drivers head up to a higher class, but there are multiple Razor's out on the market at the moment as well.

Nationals are always hardest near the end of the year because they are usually up north, but the first couple months feature some tracks in the southeast such as Carolina Motorsports Park, a good four hour drive from Barnesville, Jacksonville, around the same driving distance, and if you can find a hole in your schedule, SEKA is a track in Shelbyville, TN, that you just need to add 15 lbs. to run, and is only 3 and a 1/2 hours out of Atlanta, because they combine all Junior classes ages 8-14.

Unless another person will be down at the track with you, I would consider a lift kart stand, where it can lift up the kart by itself, because it will be 265 pounds.

Besides that, just put some new tires on about every third month, and get some testing sessions in on the off-weekends prior to the first race.

Thanks everyone! I hadn't even considered a kart stand - I'm sure my wife will be out at the track, but I can't imagine she'll be interested in helping me lug the kart around! I bet it's a heck of a lot easier to work on when it's up off the ground too. I've spent more time than I care to think about on my hands and knees working on power wheels and other toys.. Definitely need a stand!

Keith - I might have to take you up on that - we'll be out at the race on the 29th.. I don't think my son would let me skip it at this point!

Kyle - thanks for the offer, but by the time I got that one all outfitted, I think we'd be outside the range that my wife will let me spend! I'm probably going to have to go used, at least until we get into it a little bit more.